Crash
by kiwipuppy
Summary: A chance encounter with a famous musician opens some new doors for Sam Manson. A Screamo AU Fanfiction.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:** Heya kiddos, it's ya girl Ki. Some important notes off the bat here. I have edited this story so that the chapters are formatted differently. This chapter consists of what used to be chapters 1 and 2. I didn't like the way the story had been chopped up originally, so I took the plunge and changed it. The story itself has not been altered. The only change is the way the chapters are split up. I hope y'all don't mind, and continue to enjoy Crash as much as I do.

Next, I'd like to point out to those who may not know, that I post story info/status updates about hiatus's and such on my profile page. Also if you ever have any questions for my come shoot me an ask over on my blog (ectopuppy on tumblr) as I will be much more likely to see it and answer in a timely manner.

This story, for first time readers, is for my AU. You can find more info about it, as well as some incredible fanart and even fanfic from others on my blog. Visit ectopuppy on tumblr tagged "screamo au". A big shout out to Caffeinechick for being such a big inspiration to me for this au. (love u josi) Please enjoy and as always feedback is appreciated. Onto the Story!

* * *

Sam pulled around a corner in her beat up little hybrid as the last shrieks of a thrashy metal song faded out. "You're listening to one-o-eight-point-seven The Edge." came a gravely voice from the speakers. Sam turned the volume down a few clicks as an advertisement started playing. The summer heat beat down on her through the windows and she grimaced. As much as she hated the effect air conditioning had on the environment, even Sam had to admit having a busted AC all summer would suck.

"-Ghostly Wail front man Phantom," The DJ's voice cut through Sam's thoughts and she turned the volume back up. "In a recent interview, Paulina Barrera of pop group Huntress hinted at a relationship between the two." Sam rolled her eyes. These kind of rumours had been plaguing both bands for ages. First it was Valerie Gray and Phantom, then Tucker Foley and Star, now this. Sam wondered when they'd just give it up.

"When Phantom was asked about the rumours he replied, 'It's not important. My personal life is my own business, and I wish it would stay that way.', Neither party has made a comment since then. Think the fame is starting to get to him, Cheri?" The DJ continued.

"Who can say," Cheri, Sam's favourite DJ on the station, replied. Her voice had a softer edge to it than the previous DJ. "At any rate, stay tuned for your chance to win tickets to Ghostly Wail this Saturday at The Apparition Rock Club, in our On The Edge sweepstakes."

Sam smiled. She'd had her own backstage passes to their upcoming show, a birthday present from her parents, sitting on her dresser for weeks. She had applied for a summer internship working for their label, with secret hopes to end up hauling equipment or a spot as a PA for her favourite band. It was a silly hope, and she hadn't heard anything back from the label, but at least she'd get a chance to meet them anyway.

As she pulled into the final stretch of her journey, a sudden bang snapped Sam's attention elsewhere. The sudden shift in her car's control, and a clunky whirring sound caused her to stop and pull over. There didn't seem to be any smoke coming up from the hood, which Sam was thankful for. She got out of the car, and walked around to the passenger side. "Oh, son of a bitch."

Sam took in the blown tire, and groaned. At least she wasn't far from the auto shop. She pulled out her cell phone, ready to call the shop, but instead decided to just walk. It was only a block or so from here. She locked the car, checking to make sure she wasn't parked in an illegal spot. Heaven knows she'd never hear the end of it from her mother if she got a ticket. She started her trudge down the sidewalk.

Her heavy, black combat boots hammered the sidewalk as she moved, hands in her jean pockets and head turned down from the sun. She huffed, thinking about the cost that replacing the tires would add to her bill. She considered hitting up her parents for the money, but quickly shoved the thought from her mind. She'd saved up to buy her own car, she'd deal with the old, worn out tires herself too.

Sam rounded the corner and walked directly into something all too solid. She fell on her butt letting out a soft squeak of pain as she landed. "Oh my gosh, I am so sorry," Came a concerned voice from above her. "Are you alright?"

She took the hand offered to her, pulling herself up. "I'm fine," She grumbled. She looked down at the arm she was currently pulling herself up with, and felt a shock of familiarity. Once she was on her feet she dusted herself off, and looked up. "I wasn't really watching... where, uh,"

"Oh, settle down Cujo, she's not gonna hurt you, ya' big doof." The man said, looking down at a large tan and black mastiff. He shot Sam a forced smile, and her heart almost stopped. She'd just literally bumped into Phantom, her idol of all idols, on the street. That kind of thing didn't happen in real life. Sam's head was reeling. _This is like some kind of bad fanfic._ She thought. "Sorry, he's a bit jumpy with strangers. What were you saying?"

"I, um, I was just," She stumbled over her words, feeling heat rise to her cheeks. "I said I'm fine." She finally managed to choke out.

"Are you sure? You sound a little off," Danny said, pulling up his big sunglasses to get a better look at her. "You're kind of red, too. I hope you're not getting heatstroke or something! It's weirdly hot today." Danny fretted, patting Cujo's head with a worried expression. He looked her over again, and this time spotted the likely cause of her distress. She had a Ghostly Wail pin adorned to the strap of her bag. _Right... Famous guy._ He thought. Somehow after years he still seemed to forget that. "Well, try to stay out of the sun. If you're sure you're okay, I've got to get going."

"I'm sure," Sam said, anxiety clear in her voice. "Thank you for your concern."

"Okay," Danny smiled. "Oh, and nice pin." He waved and started to walk off. "C'mon buddy, we're gonna go see Jazz." At the name the mastiff pulled ahead and Danny laughed. Sam watched, dumbstruck as Phantom walked away. Sam felt another wave of anxiety crash down on her. She could hardly believe he acted so... _cute_. He always seemed so tough in public. She shook herself mentally and continued her trek.

"That was so weird." She mumbled to herself. She turned back for a moment to grab one last glance at him. His hands moved in animated motions, and he was talking to his dog with a huge grin. Sam smiled and turned back to her walk. She decided it was a good weird.

XXXXX

Five days after her encounter with Phantom, Sam was standing at the edge of a mosh pit. She could feel the rail pressing into her ribs, but she didn't care. She screamed along to the song, jumping in time as best she could with everyone else pressing into her. The band had already said their goodbyes, and this was the final song. Sam could hardly catch her breath in a whirl of excitement and physical exhaustion.

"Good night Amity Park!" Phantom yelled, and with a final symbol crash the lights went out. The screams of the fans around her were all that kept her ears form ringing in the sudden silence. The pressure against her back eased as one by one fans stepped back to cool off. A few lingered in hopes of an encore. They kept Sam penned where she'd wormed her way to the front of the crowd. After a minute the crowd thinned enough to let Sam through, and she made her way out.

She asked where she was supposed to go, flashing her backstage pass to several people along the way. A large man with wrinkles in the corners of his eyes, examined the badge thoroughly. He smiled at her and opened a door to let her through. The man followed her in. The walls of the room were lined with instruments and records. Low leather couches and chairs ringed the room. At the sound of the door closing, someone looked up from the couch.

"Hey," Tucker waved a hand, but made no effort to get up. "Enjoy the show?"

"Yes! I did," Sam replied, in an instant all too aware of how sweaty she was. On further inspection, she noticed that Tucker was tapping away on his phone. The door opened again behind her, and the other three members of the band filed in.

"Tuck, bro, I don't know how you always get backstage so fast," Danny said, pouring water in his hair. He spotted Sam and stopped, his face contorting with mock devastation. "Even the fan beat us."

"Don't be a baby, Phantom," Said Simon Lang, the bands lead guitarist. He walked up to Sam and stuck out a hand, which Sam shook. "Hey! I'm Simon. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Sam," Sam said, letting go of his hand. "Likewise!"

"Wait," Danny breathed, finally getting a good look at Sam. "Woah! It's you. The girl with the pin! That's so wild."

"She's the pin girl?" Latch, the bassist, exclaimed. He skirted around Danny and Simon to get a good look at her, pushing aside his red, dip-dyed bangs. Chocolaty brown eyes bore into Sam's own, and her face flushed. She was starting to get overwhelmed by the bands interest in her. She hadn't expected Phantom to remember her, and she definitely didn't expect him to tell people about her. Her mind was racing with thoughts about what he had said about her to make them so intent.

Simon pulled Latch back a few inches. "Excuse him," Simon said, rolling his eyes at his band mate. "He's got no idea what personal space is." From the couch Tucker let out a faint snort of laughter. Finally getting up, he made his way over and stretched.

"Damn, she's cute," He said, cracking his neck. "You guys should have said so. I'd have come over sooner." He gave Sam an exaggerated wink, and she was wondering whether he'd meant the comment or not.

"Now now, boys, let's not overwhelm her," A female voice came from behind Sam and she turned around. A red haired girl who looked somewhat familiar to Sam, walked up to Danny. She handed him another bottle of water. She gave him a pointed look. "You better actually drink this one Danny, I'm not getting you another one."

"Whoa, name Jazz, geez. There's a lady present," Danny teased, throwing a wink in Sam's direction.

"Yeah yeah, _Phantom,_ " Jazz said, drawing out the name. Her identity finally clicked in Sam's mind. Phantom's older sister's name is Jazz. Sam was sure she'd seen a photo or two of her before on Phantom's twitter. She gave Sam a warm smile and excused herself to the couch Tucker had vacated and pulled out her phone.

"So, uh, did you want us to sign stuff, or..?" Tucker asked.

"Yeah," Latch added, pulling a sharpie out of his pocket. Sam wondered if he'd had it there during the whole show. He looked over at Jazz. "Did the old man give us any merch to give her?"

"I'm sorry, excuse me a second," Jazz said, pulling her phone away from her ear. "What was that Ethan?"

"Did Masters give us anything to give her," He repeated, pointing at Sam. Jazz shook her head and went back to her phone call. "Okay, whatever, do you have anything you want signed?"

"What about the pin," Simon suggested. "Do you have it on you?"

"Oh, uh, yeah actually," Sam said, finally finding a chance to speak in all the chaos. She pulled off her small purple backpack, and groped around the inside for the metal edges of the pin. She took it out and handed it to Simon. He held it out to Danny.

"You do the honours," He said, dropping it into Danny's outstretched palm. "I mean the pin memory is of you, right?"

"I have some other stuff in here too," Sam cut in, digging around for a small, rolled up poster and a metal water bottle.

"Awesome," Danny said, taking the sharpie from Latch, and scrawling the stylized "P" he used in place of initials on the pins surface. "You seem pretty cool, you know. A lot less flustered than the last time I saw you, at least."

"Well, I have had a while to prepare for this meeting," Sam replied, a coy smile on her lips. "You generally don't get a chance to get ready to bump into a celebrity on the street." Danny smiled at her, passing the pin back.

"S'pose that's true," He said with a laugh. They stared at each other for a moment, and Sam took in the features of his face. It was a face she'd seen countless times, but it felt like she was seeing it for the first time.

"Ugh, get a room, there are children present," Tucker joked, pointing at Latch. Simon stifled a laugh, and Danny gave a quiet snort. Latch jumped on Tucker's back, and Tucker yelled, his voice catching and rolling into a laugh.

"I'm two years older than you, drummer boy!" Latch exclaimed. Sam barely even registered what was going on. Her mind was still stuck at 'get a room'. Had she been flirting? Had _Phantom_ been flirting? She felt her face heating up again. She pushed down the thoughts filling her mind and smiled at the group. Tucker was now bucking like a bull trying to launch Latch from his back. Simon and Danny were roaring with laughter. _Even if they're famous, I guess they really are just rowdy boys_ , she thought.

"Okay boys, break it up," Jazz said, walking over from the couch. Tucker and Latch continued roughhousing, and Danny and Simon seemed to be too entertained to pay her much mind. "Tucker cut it out, I'm going to get in trouble if you get hurt." She tried again, distress mingled with annoyance in her voice. Sam took a step toward the boys.

"Hey," She yelled, hands on her hips. Danny and Simon jumped and Tucker stopped with enough force to jar Latch loose. Jazz caught him well enough to keep him from injuring himself. "She was trying to tell you to stop." Sam explained, pointing to Jazz with a forceful edge to her voice.

"Oh, sorry Jazz," Tucker started, rubbing the back of his neck. Jazz looked up at him with anger blazing in her eyes. "I didn't mean to-"

"What if one of you had gotten hurt?" Jazz retorted. She pointed to Sam. "What if you'd hurt her somehow? Do you have any idea how much trouble I'd be in? Thank God for her tenacity, otherwise this could have ended very badly." She turned to Sam, a genuine smile on her face. "Thank you so much. I'm their manager's assistant, but to be honest I'm pretty much just a glorified babysitter."

"It's fine," Sam replied. Jazz looked at her face, and a look of recognition passed over her features.

"I know you," Jazz exclaimed. "You were one of the intern applicants Mr. Masters had me look over!"

"Really?" Sam asked, bewildered that they had even considered her.

"Sam Manson, right," Jazz replied, beaming. Sam nodded. "You know I haven't actually chosen yet..." Jazz made a face, and looked between the boys and Sam. Simon and Tucker were nodding with enthusiasm, and Latch was giving her a bright smile. She took one final look at her brother, and he gave a single nod and a small smile. "How'd you like to be intern assistant to Mr. Masters? I'm sure you can tell I could use the help."

Sam froze for a second, the information processing about as well as film under sunlight. Then all at once the question sunk in. Her knees felt weak. This was her _dream_. There was no way she could turn her down.

"I'd love to," Sam said, fighting to keep her voice stable. A big, goofy grin spread across her face. Tucker grabbed Sam around the middle and hoisted her into the air, cheering.

"You're coming to the after party to celebrate with us," He exclaimed.

"Okay, but you're crushing my organs," Sam said, in a strained voice. Tucker laughed and put her down. Latch raised a credit card into the air.

"Drinks are on the label," He roared. Sam had a feeling it was going to be an interesting summer.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note:** Hi, it's me. Thank you so much for baring with me as I do this editing. Sorry if you hate it. Sorry for the notifs followers are probably getting. I know it probably sucks to get notifications even though the fic isn't actually updating. On that note... Good news! Crash is indeed coming off hiatus soon! I've got the next chapter about two thirds written, and then I'll send it over to my sister to help me edit. Should be up by... I'm gonna tentatively say by the end of this week. (March 19th-ish) I can't say how much I appreciate you guys sticking with me. Thank you.

Keep an eye on my fanfiction profile page for story info/status updates. Also, I'm ectopuppy on tumblr, so come harrass me about whatever. As always, feedback is appreciated!

* * *

The next morning, Sam woke up with her head spinning. The sun beaming through the curtains was even more awful than usual. She blinked hard up at the ceiling, trying to recall what she'd done last night. Things started to get fuzzy around the third round of shots. She rolled onto her side, and realized that she was not in her bed, but lying on a fancy plush couch. She looked around and figured she must be in a hotel room.

"Hey, you're awake." Tucker said, pouring himself a cup of coffee on the other side of the room. He gestured at the pot and Sam nodded. He poured a second cup and crossed the room. "You're not much of a party girl are you?"

"Not really," She admitted, taking the cup he held out to her. She took a sip, already starting to feel a bit better. Truth be told, she'd only been to one party before in her life. She figured that might be about to change. "Not that it's a bad thing."

"Nah, but you're definitely fun to party with," Tucker replied, stirring way too much sugar into his coffee. "Oh, by the way, Jazz thought it'd be easier for you to crash here than head home if you were wondering."

"Yeah, figured as much," Sam said, starting to feel a little awkward. Yesterday Tucker had been one of her idols. Today she was making small talk with him, easy as breathing. It was an odd feeling. She grabbed her phone and checked for texts. There were a few from the other band members, but that wasn't what she was looking for. Jazz Fenton's name jumped out at her and she tapped the screen to read it.

 **Jazz Fenton: Hey, Sam. I've scheduled a meeting with you and Mr. Masters for this afternoon. You're basically guaranteed the job, but he needs to approve you b/c bureaucracy. It's 3pm today.**

Sam read the text over and glanced at the clock. It was almost eleven. She hoped she could get ready in time.

 **Sam Manson: K thanks Jazz. I'll be there. :)**

"Got a time for your meeting with the old man?" Tucker asked, taking a long sip of his coffee. Sam looked up at him and nodded, wincing at the dizzy spell that followed. Tucker smiled, eyebrows knitting in sympathy. He knew that feeling well. "You fine if I leave?"

"Sure," Sam said, stretching. "Where are you headed?"

"Hospital," Tucker replied. "Simon, the genius that he is, attempted a double back flip last night and ended up with a concussion."

"I can't believe I don't remember that," Sam laughed, combing her fingers through her hair. Something caught her eye and she stiffened. A male peacock roamed into the room. Tucker didn't bat an eye. "What the-"

"Oh! Meet Andy," Tucker beamed. Sam blinked a few times, and considered just going back to sleep. "Latch decided to rent a peacock last night. It sounded like a good idea at the time. Not so much when I got stuck with it. Simon's out of commission, nobody trusted Latch with it, and Danny and Jazz are staying at their parent's place, so... Yeah. He's chill, though."

"You know what, maybe I should come with you to get Simon," Sam said. She didn't want to stay here with the bird, and if Tucker was returning it then she wanted to make sure everything went smoothly. "I'd kinda like to make sure he's okay, too."

"Sounds good," Tucker said, finishing off his coffee. "We should get going then. The exotic animal people said they'd be coming to collect Andy at the front desk at eleven. Sad to see him go." Tucker added, mimicking wiping tears from his eyes. Sam laughed, pulling her hair back into a pony tail. She stood up, and took one last sip of coffee.

"Let's go then," She replied. She stifled the urge to ask Tucker to help her set the peacock free. She was fine with breaking a few laws for a cause, but she wasn't about to get one of her idols in trouble. "Come on Andy, let's return you to your jailers." That didn't mean she couldn't make any comments, though. Tucker snorted, grabbing his keys off a small table near the door.

"Ladies first," He said, making a grand gesture at the door. Sam rolled her eyes and walked through. "Oh, when's your meeting, by the way?"

"Three," Sam answered. "I need, like, an hour to get ready, so I need to get home by two."

"Sounds good," Tucker said. He shut the hotel door, and it locked behind him with a click. "Let's rock and roll."

XXXXX

Sam looked up at the high ceiling of the record label's lobby. The lobby sported marble floors, stone pillars and an impressive chandelier. It reminded her of some of the self-indulgent, lavish mansions her parents used to drag her to for dinner parties. She figured she should be intimidated by the luxurious look, but she wasn't. Maybe those parties were good for something after all.

"Excuse me," She said, approaching a receptionist. The woman looked up and plastered a smile on her face. Sam wiped a stray hair off her blouse, and continued. "I have meeting with Vladimir Masters at three."

"Of course," The woman said. Sam couldn't tell if the cheer in her voice was sincere. Probably not. The woman tapped a few keys at her computer, and looked back up. "Can I get your name, please?"

"Sam Manson." Sam answered. The woman tapped a few more keys and then picked up her phone.

"Mr. Masters' three-o-clock is here." She chimed. "Mhmm! Will do." She hung up, looking back at Sam. "Take a seat, and someone will be here shortly."

"Okay," Sam replied. "Thank you."

Sam sat down, and pulled out her phone. She scrolled through her texts, and couldn't help the flutter in her heart when she saw the name Danny Fenton. She tapped the name and her nail clicked against the screen.

 **Danny Fenton: Hi, I heard you got a meeting with Vlad. Good luck!**

Sam had to hold back from giggling like a little girl. She was professional, damn it. She took a breath, and typed back a quick 'thank you'.

"Sam, hey," A familiar voice cut through her thoughts. Sam looked up, and Jazz waved to her. Jazz's heels clicked against the floor, as she walked over. Sam stood up and met her halfway across the lobby. "Good to see you. How are you feeling? I realized after I texted you that you might be a little hung over, but then you replied, so I figured it was okay. Are you okay? I can always reschedule, and tell Mr. Masters' I made a mistake."

"I'm fine," Sam interjected, once Jazz stopped for air. Jazz smiled, relief clear on her face. She looked Sam over and nodded, apparently satisfied with Sam's lacy black blouse and fitted skirt. "Really, I'm glad you made the appointment sooner than later. No time to be nervous this way."

"Right," Jazz laughed. "Well lets go then."

Sam followed Jazz as she moved through the building. They walked mostly in silence save for some small talk in the elevator. Jazz stopped in front of Vlad's office and took a deep breath. She opened the door and walked to her desk. Behind her was a door to a larger, private office. She pressed her intercom.

"Vlad, the intern candidate I told you about is here." She said. After a second, the door opened, and Vlad walked out. He looked older than Sam had expected. He stuck out his hand, and Sam shook it firmly.

"Sammy, right?" Vlad said, looking Sam over. Jazz handed him a thin file, and he cracked it open.

"Just Sam, sir." Sam replied. Jazz winced, and Sam wavered in her decision to correct him. It finally hit her how much she wanted this job.

"Sir," Vlad scoffed. "I'm only in my fourties kid, just call me Mr. Masters if you want to be formal."

"Sorry, of course, Mr. Masters." Sam said. Vlad looked back at the file, and Jazz gave Sam a thumbs up from behind his back.

"You don't mind doing this out here," He said, reading the file. "Won't be long."

"That's fine." Sam said.

"Says here you're a student at University of Amity Park. What are you studying?" Vlad asked, looking up.

"Business," Sam answered. She hadn't had any idea what to study when she graduated high school. She'd never found anything that felt right. It was her father who'd suggested business, and she'd just rolled with it. Vlad nodded.

"Can you handle loud music?" He asked, handing the file back to Jazz.

"She was actually at the show last night," Jazz cut in. "I'm sure she can handle it."

"Really," Vlad said, turning back to Sam. "You're a fan then?"

"Yes," Sam answered. "Ever since Dead On Arrival came out. I actually did a report last semester on the marketing campaign for Ghost Zone, and how it impacted viral marketing as a whole."

"I was in charge of that campaign, actually," Vlad replied, puffing out his chest. Sam smiled. She knew he'd have an ego. Any man in his fourties rocking a ponytail had to have something to prove.

"It was very clever, Mr. Masters." Sam smiled. Vlad thought for a moment.

"Jasmine, dear, you picked a good one," He said. Jazz sighed, and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. "Get the paperwork on my desk by the end of the day." Vlad looked back at Sam. "You start Monday. Eight AM, don't be late. Jasmine will fill you in on the details."

"I," Sam started. She took a second to catch her breath before continuing. "Thank you. You won't regret it."

"Of course not," Vlad said, turning his back on her and retreating into his office. The door clicked shut behind him, and Jazz squealed softly. She hesitated for a second and then pulled Sam into a hug.

"Welcome to the family!"


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note:** Finally an update! Life was being... life, but here we are ready to come off hiatus. I needed this chapter to be something to ease my back into the story, so it's a bit of a change of pace. By which I mean we get to see some home life.

Remember to keep an eye on my profile page here on fanfiction for story info/updates. I'm ectopuppy on tumblr, so feel free to come bother me there! Enjoy, and as always feedback is appreciated!

* * *

Two hours later Sam pulled into their garage, reminding herself to pick up her car tomorrow. She hated driving her mother's Lexus, it was too fancy for her tastes. She cut the engine and leaned her head on the steering wheel for a moment. _Time to go play nice with mom and dad,_ She thought. _You're only here for the summer then you're back at school where you don't have to deal with them._ She allowed herself a few more seconds of self pity and then got out of the car, steeling her nerves.

"I'm home," She called as she entered the house. Her mother, who had been in the sitting room the garage opened up into, accosted her immediately.

"How did it go?" Pam started, patting the couch beside her with a dainty motion. Sam sat, knowing that abstaining would be 'improper and impolite'. She sighed inwardly. _Nineteen is too old to worry about being scolded._

"You were out all night last night and, it was so last minute –very unprofessional, by the way– you probably had no time to prepare. Just look at your makeup, it's far too dark for an interview." Pam caught her daughter's pointed look and frowned. She made a high sound in the back of her throat and continued. "Did it go well Pumpkin?"

"Yes, actually," Sam replied, biting down the urge to scream. She drummed her nails on her thigh in an attempt to soothe herself. She plastered a proud smile on her face. "It went very well. I start on Monday."

"That's wonderful, sweetheart." Pam exclaimed, clapping her hands together with the same grace all her actions seemed to have. "Which internship was it? The accounting firm? I know your father put in a good word for you with a friend there."

"No," Sam said, trying to keep the bitterness out of her voice. "It was the record label. I met one of the producers assistants last night and she recognized me from my application. We hit it off pretty well and she offered to set up a meeting with her boss. Wild, huh?" It wasn't the exact truth, but Sam wasn't sure how well her mother would take the whole 'I Yelled at some Rockstars and they Asked Me To Come Party' thing. She wasn't sure how well she was taking it to be honest.

"Well, at least we know you're good at networking," Pam said, laughing to herself. Sam shifted on the couch and straightened her skirt. Pam placed a hand on Sam's shoulder. "Why don't we go out for dinner to celebrate. Your father and I haven't taken you out in ages. We could go to the country club! I'm sure everyone would be excited to see you."

"Sounds good," Sam said, her voice dripping with the kind of false enthusiasm that her mother had a hard time detecting. There was no arguing. She could tell her mother had already made up her mind. She wanted to parade Sam out in front of her friends, and tell them all how perfect she was. Sam mentally shook those unwanted thoughts away, and stood from the couch. "I'll go change."

"I should as well," Pam replied, following suit. She smoothed out her already immaculate dress, and hummed to herself. "Oh! That reminds me; I bought you a dress today you should wear it," Sam's nose wrinkled up. "don't give me that look, it's not pink."

"Okay," Sam sighed, keeping herself from rolling her eyes. With a nod, Pam left to go find her husband and prepare for an evening out. Sam started her trudge up the stairs. She entered her room –the only room in the house not painted in pastels –and eyed the white box on her bed. She kicked off her heels and sat down beside it before pulling out her phone.

 **Danny Fenton: Congratulations! Jazz told me you got the job! :)**

 **Sam Manson: Thanks. My parents are taking me out to celebrate.**

 **Danny Fenton: Sounds like fun. I'll let you get to your evening.**

 _Says the celebrity taking time from his day to text me,_ Sam thought, an amused smile on her lips. She still couldn't stop the giddiness that bubbled up in her heart whenever she thought about Danny. Every other minute she would remember that she now had the personal numbers of her favourite band on her phone and her heart would explode a little.

She was determined to not be weird about it. Maybe she'd had a bit of a crush on Phantom since she was sixteen, but that was just some silly fantasy. Now he was Danny. He was real. Once she got to know him –oh my god, she was going to _get to know_ Phantom –the butterflies in her stomach would subside. He'd just be a colleague. A friend maybe. A dreamy blue eyed friend who just happened to be plastered on her wall. Sam buried her face in her hands. Those posters would have to come down now.

With a sigh, Sam steeled herself and tossed her phone down on her bed. Enough stalling, time to see what her mother had bought her. She removed the lid from the box and looked down at the dress in the box. It was lilac with a violet floral pattern. _Could be worse._ Sam thought, pulling it out of the box. It was a sleeveless tea dress, with a high collar and a white taffeta underskirt. She went to the mirror and held it up to herself. It was probably meant to be knee length, but with Sam's long legs it would end a few inches short. She could make this work.

She went downstairs forty minutes later in purple lipstick and dark eyeliner, her hair pulled into a tight bun. She'd chosen all black accessories, trying to go for a pastel goth look. Her father smiled at her, and looped his arm through Pam's. Pam gave Sam a quick once over and pursed her lips for a moment before smiling. She was displeased enough for it to show on her face, but not enough to say anything. A balance Sam had perfected in her senior year.

"Ready to go ladies?" Jeremy asked, taking no notice of the brief tension between his wife and daughter. Pam's smile became more genuine, and she leaned into him. Sam checked her purse for her phone, and then nodded. "Alright, let's go."

XXXXX

"I can't believe you got a concussion, dude!" Danny practically howled, dropping his phone onto his bed with a dull thud. Jasmine knocked three times on his wall, a signal she'd used since they were kids to tell him to be quieter. Cujo padded over and sniffed the wall, interested in the sound.

"Whatever," Simon's voice chimed out of Danny's phone speaker. "I was drunk. Back flips are cool."

"Only when you stick the landing," Danny laughed, softer this time. He held a red flannel shirt up to himself in the mirror and then tossed it on his bed. "Between you pulling that and Latch renting a peacock, I'm sure we made a hell of a first impression on Sam."

"She seemed pretty chill about the whole thing," Simon replied. Danny could just barely hear Tucker and Latch talking in the background. He strained to hear them. "Yeah, Tuck says they had a good morning. I'm gonna put you on speaker."

"I mean she was a little flustered maybe, but in my presence who wouldn't be." Tucker added. Danny heard someone smack him, and snorted. "She's really nice, though. I was a little worried at first to be honest."

"Yeah, like, we made a pretty big snap decision." Latch said. Danny nodded to himself. He hadn't had much of a chance to talk to her at the after party. He'd been pulled away by the press pretty early on. Jazz had nothing but good things to say about her, though. Danny had learned to trust her judgment. Latch continued. "She could have been... You know."

"A stalker..." Simon finished for him. An uncomfortable second of silence passed over the group. Simon cleared his throat and continued.

"But, I agree. She seems very genuine." Danny let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. Simon never hid what he thought of someone –it had gotten him in hot water more than once –so hearing that he had accepted Sam was a relief.

"Still," Danny said, a tentative edge to his voice, "we should give her time to prove herself."

"Of course." Simon replied. His voice was softer than before. Danny opened his mouth to say something, but was cut off by a knock at his door.

"One second," He said in the direction of his phone. "Come in."

"Hey sweetie." Maddie said, opening the door. She still had her lab coat on over her clothes. Cujo bounded to her side and nuzzled her hand. She pet his head in gentle circles.

"Hi Maddie!" Danny's phone chorused. He rolled his eyes.

"Hey, mom." Danny replied, a warm grin on his face. It was nice to spend time with his family for once. He was glad this tour was over. "What's up?"

"Hello boys, " Maddie laughed. "I just wanted to say I'm home, and ask if you planned eating with us or not."

"Oh," Danny rubbed the back of his neck. He hadn't considered that his mom might want to have dinner. "We made plans already."

"Dude, are you kidding!? Can we come over instead!?" Latch's voice yelled from the phone. Maddie smiled. "I haven't had a home cooked meal in months."

"Of course you can." Maddie replied. She lingered in the doorway for a moment, gauging Danny's reaction. When he didn't object, she smoothed out her lab coat and grinned. "Be here by seven. We're having spaghetti."

Cheers erupted from Danny's phone, and his heart swelled. He hadn't realized how much he'd missed this.

"Thanks mom." Maddie shot him a final smile and slipped out the door, pressing it closed with a click.


End file.
